Stepping Into Year 4 at UCSB

As I am starting my senior year at UCSB, I can feel how fast four years could fly by. Seeing my Freshman year self, I could not describe how much this journey has taught me, both academically and socially. I was born and raised in Taiwan, and it has been more than three years since I first started college in the United States. Before I came here, I just wanted my study abroad journey to be a one-time life experience that can last for the rest of my life. Thinking about it now, I believe studying in the U.S. has been the greatest investment from multiple perspectives. I have learned to break out from my comfort zone and explore my identity as an international student and a global citizen.

I would say the Economics and Accounting major has prepared me to be a stronger warrior in the job market. Reflecting the time when I was applying for accounting firms’ summer internships, I have learned to value myself in terms of my personality as a person instead of my qualification as a candidate. This quarter is the accounting recruiting season, and I am back in the cycle of developing a braver and stronger mindset. I used to take rejections seriously and think about how my failures will disappoint my parents and the people around me. I, later on, realized that everyone is seeking the person that matches them the most, which is based on the way we think and our characteristics as an individual. We do not have to reshape ourselves to fit into a certain standard. There are thousands of opportunities in the job market, and everyone is looking for that one “yes” from the place that fits them the most. After adjusting my mindset as a warrior in the job market, I have learned to see the job searching experience as a way to know myself better and know what I am seeking to get out of this journey.

Getting a job in the United States might be harder for international students, but if we consider it as an opportunity to build up a braver attitude when facing challenges, then the value of difficulties is worth more than getting a job itself. Not far from now, I will be stepping into the professional path. I believe my identity as an international student has equipped me to be a stronger and well-rounded global citizen that is ready to make an impact on the world.